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27 Jul 23. New medal design unveiled to honour veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests. The design of the Nuclear Test Medal has been unveiled. The medal recognises military, civilian, and overseas staff and personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Design for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal unveiled.
- Production will begin shortly so veterans can receive them before Remembrance Sunday.
- Medal recognises significant contribution of those who participated in the UK’s nuclear testing programme.
Many veterans of Britain’s nuclear tests will receive a new medal in time for Remembrance Sunday, the government has announced today.
It comes as the design for the Nuclear Test Medal is unveiled for the first time today.
The medal was announced by the Prime Minister in November 70 years after the first British test of a nuclear weapon, and recognises military, civilian, and overseas staff and personnel who participated in Britain’s nuclear testing programme in the 1950s and 1960s.
Since the announcement, the Government has worked hard to ensure that a fitting medal was designed, minted and issued to as many veterans as possible in time for this year’s Remembrance events.
The medal will now go into production by Worcestershire Medal Services, with the first veterans set to receive their medal ahead of Remembrance Sunday this year.
Defence Secretary, Rt Hon. Ben Wallace MP, said: “I am delighted that this commemorative medal is rightfully given to our Nuclear Test veterans, who have made an invaluable contribution to the safety and security of the UK, and who we recognise and value for their service to our nation.”
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Rt Hon. Johnny Mercer MP, said: “As thousands flock to the cinemas to watch Oppenheimer, it’s important to remember the contributions of the veterans, scientists and staff who worked on Britain’s nuclear programme. Our nuclear deterrent continues to underpin both our security and the security of our NATO allies and this new medal is a fitting tribute to all those who worked to develop this vital defence.”
The medal will recognise the contribution made by veterans and civilian staff from across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati and includes scientists and local employees.
The design features an atom surrounded by olive branches and bears the words “Nuclear Test Medal”. The obverse will bear an effigy of His Majesty the King. The simplicity of the design was chosen to reflect the multitude of different roles that were carried out by the broad range of recipients.
The ribbon design includes white, yellow, black and red, with the lighter blue for the sky and ocean, representative of the Pacific.
The medal will also be awarded posthumously. Veterans, civilian staff and next of kin from across the UK and Commonwealth can apply for the commemorative medal through the MOD’s Medal Office, which will be free of charge.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
27 Jul 23. Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the 70th National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. Seventy years ago today, on July 27, 1953, after more than three years of war on the Korean Peninsula, military leaders from the United States, North Korea, and the People’s Republic of China signed the Korean Armistice Agreement to “insure a complete cessation of hostilities.”
All Americans should remember the terrible cost of the Korean War and the valor of those who fought against aggression, facing fierce adversaries, harsh terrain, and pitiless conditions. More than 36,000 U.S. troops were killed in action, along with hundreds of thousands more from the Republic of Korea and partner nations serving in the United Nations Command. Even today, some 7,000 American service members from this war remain unaccounted for. We have a solemn duty to continue looking for answers for American families whose loved ones still remain missing in action seven decades on. America also has a sacred responsibility to take care of our Korean War veterans, their families, their caregivers, and their survivors, and to ensure that they get the benefits they deserve.
When President Eisenhower told the American people that the armistice had been signed, he said, “We shall fervently strive to insure that this armistice will, in fact, bring free peoples one step nearer to their goal of a world at peace.” So it has. During each of my three visits to the Republic of Korea as Secretary of Defense, I have seen firsthand its thriving democracy, dynamic economy, and innovative minds in action—all a living testament to the shared sacrifices of families in both of our countries. I have also had the privilege of spending time with the American troops stationed there, who proudly keep the peace and serve alongside South Korean service members. Seventy years after the signing of the armistice, and the U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty that followed soon after, our ironclad alliance is stronger than ever. In the words of our alliance motto, “We go together”—and we will continue to do so, shoulder to shoulder. (Source: U.S. DoD)
27 Jul 23. UK remembers the sacrifice of the armed forces in the Korean War. Commemorations are being held across the country to remember the sacrifice of British soldiers in the Korean War, with more than 1,000 killed in action.
Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, visited the Battle of Imjin Memorial to pay his respects.
Across the country today, commemorations are being held to remember the sacrifice of British personnel who fought and died in the Korean War to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended military conflict.
In London, Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and Defence Minister Baroness Goldie will lead the UK in remembering the 81,084 UK men and women who served in the conflict, including more than 1,000 British servicemen who were killed in action, at a Royal British Legion national memorial service on Horse Guards Parade in London.
Up to 1,000 people, including His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Yoon Yeocheol, and Korean war veterans, are expected to pay their respects at the ceremony outside the British Army’s Headquarters in London, where the Chief of the Defence Staff and Baroness Goldie will each lay a wreath.
Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said: “As the UK marks 140 years of relations with the Republic of Korea, we come together to remember all the thousands of people who fought for freedom in the Korean War 70 years ago. Those who sacrificed their lives will never be forgotten. Freedom is one of our most precious global attributes and those who died in the Korean War remind us that freedom is never free.”
In the Republic of Korea, Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey yesterday (Wednesday 26 July) and the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders laid wreaths at the Battle of Imjin Memorial, also known as the Gloster Hill Memorial, in memory of personnel from The Gloucestershire Regiment who died in one of the conflict’s deadliest battles.
Today, tribute will also be paid by the Minister to the UN partner forces who came from around the world to repel the North Korean invasion.
The Minister will attend a special commemoration ceremony hosted by Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans to mark UN Forces Participation Day.
Joining the Minister will be 11 British veterans of the conflict and four who served in Korea after the war, who have travelled to the nation with their families for the anniversary.
Elsewhere across the UK, commemorations will be held at the Scottish Korean War Memorial in West Lothian, with all three services represented by senior and junior ranks.
The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire hosted an early morning ceremony attended by representatives of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force, who laid wreaths at the Korea Memorial and Armed Forces Memorial. A Piper from F Company Scots Guards also performed.
At Horse Guards, three currently serving personnel will deliver readings and serving personnel will also build a Drumhead – a traditional Army service where Regimental drums are placed on top of each other to form an altar, before an Army Bugler will sound The Last Post and lead into a two-minute silence. The silence will be broken by the Bugler playing the Reveille.
British Army Band Colchester will play the National Anthem and contribute to a performance of a Korean folk song.
The Korean War
The Korean War began on June 25 1950 when the Northern Korean People’s Army, backed by the Soviet Union, launched a military operation to conquer South Korea and unify the territories of the Peninsula under the North Korean communist regime.
The UK and the United States were among several nations that heeded the United Nations’ call to take up arms in defence of South Korea, with 81,084 British personnel serving in the theatre of operations. 1,106 British troops died in action.
Armistice negotiations began in July 1951, but it wasn’t until two years later that a peace agreement was signed at Panmunjom and hostilities between the two nations finally ceased.
The conflict is often referred to as the ‘forgotten war’ because of the relatively scant attention it receives in comparison to other conflicts of the era, namely the Second World War and the Cold War.
The Korean War Memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens, which takes the form of a bronze statue of a British soldier, was gifted by the Republic of Korea to the UK in 2014 to honour the British troops that served in the conflict.
The UK and South Korea
2023 marks 140 years of UK-Korea relations, with South Korea remaining a critical partner for the UK as both countries seek to uphold a rules-based international system, promote peace in the region and protect freedom of navigation.
The UK has made a clear commitment to enhancing Indo-Pacific security, by shifting greater resource to the region and developing nations’ ability to police and protect their waters.
Two Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels are deployed to the Indo-Pacific on a permanent basis, and in their first year of operation succeeded in enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea, helping the Fijian government to combat illegal fishing and providing humanitarian assistance to Tonga following the January 2022 Tsunami.
The UK’s Carrier Strike Group will return to the Indo-Pacific in 2025, representing our commitment to exercise the best capabilities our Armed Forces have to offer alongside partners in the region. (Source: U.K. MoD)
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